The infrastructure behind modern electronic systems increasingly requires deployment of multiple communication devices in systems that consolidate the various device components into racks or shelves, which may reduce the storage and operation space required by the owner of the infrastructure as well as easing the effort required for operation or maintenance. The devices stored in these racks or shelves may include communication network components such as amplifiers, switches, network management cards, network interface cards, or other devices. However, in many instances not all available space within the rack is in use at a given point in time.
Filler panels are devices used to fill the unused space in such a rack or shelf. These panels serve many uses, including electromagnetic shielding (to ensure proper operation of the system components) and aesthetic appearance of the rack as a whole. Filler panels are also used to maintain airflow, meet certification requirements (e.g., GR-63-CORE and GR-1089-CORE), and provide EMI/ESD functionality. As more electronic devices are implemented and operated in consolidated racks or shelves, manufacturers and suppliers of such racks face increasing challenges in maintaining performance levels required by end-users while reducing the manufacturing and operating costs.
Traditional filler panels have been made from metal or mostly metal and are often rectangular boxes. Such a design use a lot of material and are costly. Filler panels typically come in three shapes—rectangular box style, cover style, and blade style. The rectangular filler panels are typically of a four-walled construction. The cover style is just a cover that covers an opening of a shelf when a unit is not installed in the opening. The blade style is a combination of a cover and a single walled blade that guides the filler panel into the opening in the shelf. It covers the opening but uses a single walled blade to form the filler panel. Certain filler panels have a crude means to store a limited number of connectors (one or two) outside of the shelf. The connectors are stored in a removable foam pocket that is attached to the outside of the filler panel (outside of the shelf when the filler panel is installed).